Spring garden riot

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 510, 2 November 1993, Page 7

Spring garden riot

By

Bea

i Barnes

What a lovely burst of spring, even the Labour Day holiday without rain. It seems almost overnight the garden was transformed with a blaze of colour. All the flowering trees have blossomed so well this year and have been a riot of colour until the rough winds stripped the blossoms from the branches. The flowering crab apple malus 'Ballerina' which flowers a little later than the prunus varieties are still a mass of rich double-pink blossom. Last spring we planted malus 'Snowbright', a small bushy little tree which only grows to about two metres in height. This spring it is covered in dainty blossoms, rich pink in the bud opening to white. Such a dainty little tree small enough to be accommodated in any garden. All the lilacs are in bud just ready to burst into bloom. I think my favourite is the French lilac 'Sensation' which flowers profusely each year with long racemes of highly fragrant rich blue blossom. Most lilacs will produce suckers quite readily and these should be removed as soon as they appear as they will rapidly grow and soon take over. Lilacs respond to a light dressing of lime each year which I usually apply towards the end of winter. Most flowering trees such as the lilacs and prunus varieties which include the ornamental plums and cherry trees

along with malus varieties, the ornamental flowering apples and crab apples will respond to a light prune after flowering. I use the words 'light prune' advisedly. Trim away any dead wood and trim back any wayward branches just sufficiently to improve the shape of the tree. Any emerging branch which threatens to impede the growth of another can be removed altogether. A light prune each year after the tree has finished its flowering time will keep it looking its best and encourage new shoots to grow. When planning the addition of any ornamental tree to your garden it is of the utmost importance, to choose a tree of the type and ultimate size for the position in which it is to grow. There is no sadder sight than to see a beautiful tree hacked down to a tortured travesty with a chainsaw because it has out-grown its position. This will not be necessary if a careful and informed choice is made in the first place. . Camellias have excelled themselves this year with a great show of bloom despite light frost and heavy rain, the damaged blooms soon replaced by the emerging new buds. If you can spare a few minutes to remove the spent or damaged blooms each day the new buds will open to give the plant a bright fresh look. A feed of an acid plant food will be of value now if this has not already

beep given. After flowering has finished give a light prune, clearing away very old or damaged wood and opening up the centre of the bush to the sunlight and fresh air. Very soon now the summer 'Bud and Bloom' roses will be available to tempt us all to add just one more rose to our garden. Make sure you have the ground ready and well nourished before you buy your new rose. The 'old fashioned' roses have gained real popularity in recent years, deservedly so as most are virtually disease free, often with very striking foliage and the bonus of large and colourful rose hips as the flowers fade away. A word of warning though. Make sure before you buy your rose that you choose one suitable for the position allotted to it. Some varieties can grow to two or three metres in height and just about as wide. Certainly not a case where 'if all else fails read the label'. Have fun and enjoy vour gardening.